This address really tells a story. In fact, I have already written about the property itself in a previous post (Weekly Acorn #37). There I tell about the lot being the largest on Rosedale Cr and how it was intended to become a street, Belmont Ct, that was supposed to branch off of Rosedale Cr. For additional information and early history of this parcel, please refer to that post.
The first house that was built on this property was built in 1936 when it was owned by T L and S C Ogburn. The house sat way back off the street. The original subdivision of this property had a proposed street running along the east edge of the property and contained seven large lots along one side of the street. Reynolda was on the other side.
This house was the first house at 135 Rosedale Cr and was built in 1936. Without being moved, but instead the property being subdivided, this house is now 135 Aaron Ln. Click on the photo above to view an expanded version or visit the entire Historic Oak Crest Photo Gallery.
Later, when the Aaron’s purchased the property in 1943, they had the proposed street changed to run down the middle of the property with smaller lots along both sides of the street. After Mr Aaron’s death in 1952, Mrs Aaron was left to decide how to develop the property. It was during this same time that Wake Forest College was building their campus on the portion of Reynolda that was adjacent to the Aaron’s property. So, Mrs Aaron negotiated with the college to allow access to her property from the campus. In exchange, she agreed to give Wake Forest staff members priority and a special price on the lots.
The original proposed single street, Belmont Ct, was changed to two streets, Aaron Ln and Belle Vista Ct. The existing house was now closer to Aaron Ln, so the address was changed to 135 Aaron Ln and became the first house in the “new” neighborhood and was actually built before the neighborhood.
This left a large vacant area that was no longer serving as a front yard to the house. So it was sold as single lot fronting Rosedale Cr and another house was built on it in 1958. The address of the new house was able to keep the original house number, 135 Rosedale Cr, since the address of the original house became 135 Aaron Ln.
This is the second house at 135 Rosedale Cr and was built in 1958. If the original proposed street (Belmont Ct) had been connected to Rosedale Cr, this would have been the location of the intersection and this house would not exist. Click on the photo above to view an expanded version or visit the entire Historic Oak Crest Photo Gallery.